


Gray Skies

by kyrdwyn



Series: Skies Series [7]
Category: Star Trek: Enterprise
Genre: Kid Fic, Lifemates - Freeform, M/M, Originally Posted Elsewhere, The Author Regrets Nothing, bonded characters, cannon took a left turn at the end of season 1, so nothing after that season really applies
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-10-26
Updated: 2015-10-26
Packaged: 2018-04-28 05:28:17
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 12,407
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5079595
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kyrdwyn/pseuds/kyrdwyn
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Archer gets an unexpected call, T'Pol quotes Surak to her advantage, the Kraynita visits Morgania, and Malcolm has a new man in his life.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Gray Skies

* * *

Captain Archer stood on the bridge of the _Enterprise_ and stared at the two men who were light years away from being where he really wanted them—close enough to wrap one hand around each of their necks. Admiral Forrest had just destroyed any hope Jonathan Archer had of convincing Tucker and Reed to return to Starfleet. Ambassador Soval had maintained his position that the kt'alini life forms that had saved the two men's lives needed to be studied.

"I don't know if you had entertained any hope of getting Mr. Reed and Mr. Tucker to rejoin Starfleet, Admiral, but I think you can forget it now."

The Admiral barely heard Jon, he was so livid. "Captain, you just disobeyed a direct order —"

"I disobeyed a direct order that would have resulted in my having to fire on a civilian cargo ship whose only crime was stopping and offering skilled assistance!" Jon shouted back. "Their only threats were conditioned on our taking what would be an offensive action to us, if the situation were reversed. Not to mention, Admiral, there are two humans and their adopted daughter on board that ship. Now, how do you think that's going to look to the people on Earth or Luna, and especially to the Boomers? Starfleet attacking civilian humans?" Archer emphasized his last two words, knowing that would have the civilian population, still leery of military organizations after the last war, outraged. He stopped pacing and stared at his superior. "Don't think something like that wouldn't get out, Admiral."

Admiral Forrest started to say something, then stopped. Finally, he shook his head. "We're not finished yet, Captain." He gestured, and the screen reverted to the normal panoramic view of the stars outside the ship.

Archer sighed heavily, dropping into his command chair. He muttered something that was only heard by T'Pol and Hoshi, both of whom were known for their excellent hearing.

"Malcolm may be right. We may not be ready to be out here."

* * *

Once the _Kraynita_ was well away from _Enterprise_ 's position, Trip went in search of his lifemate. When they'd gotten back to the _Kraynita_ , Terisan had ordered Malcolm to find someplace to go to calm down. The captain had known that Malcolm was still on edge from the whole experience. He would have liked to let Trip take care of his lifemate, but he needed someone in the engine room.

Trip hadn't been too worried—he could tell Malcolm was starting to get control of himself. He'd still kept a close mental 'finger' on Malcolm's thoughts, so he'd known when the Brit had sought out Merisel, letting her delight at seeing him wash away the stress of the past day.

Trip entered their quarters and then went into Merisel's. He was surprised to find both sets empty. Malcolm had woken Merisel up, and he'd heard him reading the promised chapter to Merisel. Of course, the reactor had decided to act up on him, so he'd focused on that for a while instead of Malcolm.

Now, he could feel the stillness of thought and the utter peace that identified Malcolm's sleeping mind. It was interesting that the kt'alini didn't transmit dreams along the bond. Oh, he could tell what kind of dream Malcolm was having by the emotions that came through—happiness, arousal, terror, uncertainty—but he never saw what Malcolm did. Trip figured sending images must require conscious thought, since both he and Malcolm had been able to send images when awake.

This felt more like a dreamless sleep, the kind Trip knew from nights when he'd lain awake, just marveling at being in Malcolm's arms, or having Malcolm in his. Malcolm was content, and relaxed. Therefore, he was someplace where he felt safe, and/or with someone he considered it safe to sleep around. There were only two people on the ship that he felt were safe enough to fall asleep around, so that meant Merisel was probably nearby. As for where, if he wasn't in their or her quarters, then he was in —

Cargo bay four. Trip slipped through the doors quietly and tiptoed around the maze of containers until he was at the far right corner. Merisel had built herself a hideaway here, and Malcolm was the only person she allowed to stay in her domain. Trip would have been jealous, but he knew that Merisel considered the cargo bay to be her and Malcolm's place. She and Trip had their own place—an alcove in Engineering where they often sat so he could read to her, or she would bring lunch from the mess hall when he was working too hard. They had been doing that since Merisel came on board. Her relationship with Malcolm had gotten off to a much more rocky start, and she was determined to make sure that she and her Airith had the same kind of place as she and her Daddy did.

Trip crossed his arms on top of a stack of containers and rested his chin on them. Merisel had brought in a spare mattress and some blankets and re-arranged the containers so that a small room was created. One container that was empty after their last starbase stop now held a small collection of padds and a few toys salvaged from the Morganian vessel that had been her former home. Another container, set underneath the cargo bay's window, served as a small table. Two glasses of juice sat on it, and as Trip watched, Merisel reached out absently and picked one up to drink.

Trip smiled. Merisel was sitting on the floor next to the mattress, a padd in her hand. Malcolm was lying on the mattress, covered with one of the blankets. It looked as if Merisel was keeping watch over the sleeping man.

"Hey, sweetheart," Trip said softly after Merisel had put her glass down. She jumped and looked up, smiling at him before putting a finger to her lips. She looked at Malcolm. Trip nodded as he came around the container stack to enter the 'room'.

"Airith okay?" he asked as he sat down next to her, leaving her in between him and his lifemate.

She nodded, her gray eyes solemn in the almost pure-white of her skin. The gray was a startling contrast to the blue stripe that ran from her hairline to the tip of her nose. Stripes of the same color were starting to appear on her wrists, apparently a sign of growth in Morganians.

"Did something bad happen, Daddy?"

He should have known that she would have picked up on that. He looked at her, wondering how much to tell her. She was intelligent, but she was still a child and he wanted to shelter her from things like what had happened on _Enterprise_.

"Airith and I used to work on _Enterprise_ , Meri. It was hard for us to be around all our old friends."

"If they were friends, why did you leave?"

Trip sighed, his left hand going up to rub the bonding scar at the back of his neck. "Well —" he started.

"They didn't like the 'lini."

He wasn't surprised that she reached that conclusion. Merisel sometimes seemed to be forty, rather than four.

"They didn't understand the 'lini, honey. They wanted to run a lot of medical tests on us." Trip looked over at his sleeping lifemate, remembering the pain of hearing Jon give him the transfer orders. "Airith and I decided to find another job."

Merisel frowned. "I don't like _Enterprise_ ," she declared.

Trip laughed softly, pulling her into his lap for a hug. "They're not all bad, sweetie."

Merisel set her jaw in a stubborn expression. "They were mean to you and Airith. I don't like them."

Trip hugged her tighter, knowing that it was useless to try to convince her that some people on _Enterprise_ were good. To a child, things were black and white. The shades of gray that fear and misunderstanding and envy provided were missing from her world—and Trip didn't want to put them there.

"How long has Airith been asleep?" he asked instead.

Merisel shrugged.

"Can I stay here until he wakes up?" Trip was mindful of the fact that this was, after all, Merisel and Malcolm's spot.

Merisel nodded, stifling a yawn. She picked up her padd and handed it to Trip. "Read."

Trip smiled as Merisel rearranged herself so she was leaning against his chest. He put an arm around her, held up the padd with the other hand, and began to read aloud.

* * *

Archer walked into Sickbay, curious as to why Phlox had asked to see him. It had been a week since Trip and Malcolm had left _Enterprise_ for the second time. Jon still hadn't heard back from Admiral Forrest, a fact for which he was grateful. Looking around the area, Archer didn't see the Denobulan anywhere, though he could hear the man talking to someone. He finally found Phlox in his office, recording a message.

"I'll pass along your greetings to Hoshi and to Travis. Be well and keep in touch. Phlox out." The doctor hit a few buttons on his control panel and looked up. "Ah, Captain! Thank you for coming. Please, have a seat." He gestured to one of the chairs.

"Was that a message to Trip and Malcolm?" Archer asked as he sat down.

"I really can't reveal the contents or recipients of confidential medical transmissions, Captain," Phlox rebuked gently. "Although, I have been granted permission to show you one of my transmissions by the sender." He pushed a button and a message was brought up, bearing the I.M.E. logo and a large, red "Confidential" warning. Phlox typed in a password and the screen changed to Trip and Malcolm sitting on a couch next to each other, in civilian clothing, with the necklaces that Jon had seen them wearing on Il'endi prominently displayed around their necks. Trip had his right arm around Malcolm's shoulders, while Malcolm's arms were around a child of a species that Archer didn't recognize. She was extremely pale, with blonde hair and a deep blue stripe from her hairline to the tip of her nose. She was smiling, her hands on top of Malcolm's.

"Is that Marisol?"

"Merisel, yes. Their adopted daughter. A Morganian child, they said, the sole survivor of a Tenakian raid." Phlox started the message.

"Hey, Phlox," Trip said. "We know this is unusual, but we're sending you this message to pass along to the rest of the crew. We realized that they don't know why we left, and why we had the Admiral so gung-ho to keep us there when we came back to help with the repairs."

There was pause, presumably so Phlox could edit out the first part.

"It's not easy for us to admit this to people we should have told in the first place," Malcolm said softly, looking down at Merisel rather than at the monitor. "At the time we had our reasons for keeping our secrets. Reasons for simply resigning rather than asking for help." He sighed and looked up. "I suppose we should start at the beginning. As you all know, almost eight months ago Trip and I were on a survey mission when our shuttlepod was attacked and badly damaged—too badly damaged to wait for _Enterprise_ to return. In addition, both of us had sustained some injuries. So we found the nearest planet and attempted to land. The landing went badly, and well, we nearly died from the additional injuries we sustained."

Trip gently squeezed his lifemate's shoulder. "The Il'endi found us and healed us, but the injuries were so bad that they had to use a technique they save for last-resort healing. It's a life form known as the kt'alini. It actually joins with the host and alters the cell lines in the cells to increase the healing process. In our case, it healed our injuries, and it still does. The kt'alini are still within both Malcolm and me. They can't be removed without killing us, the Il'endi told us that and Phlox confirmed it. I don't know what this will do to the aging process, but it sure comes in handy with plasma burns."

"The kt'alini also have another side effect," Malcolm added. "The kt'alini are a paired life form, in that they are born and raised in sets of two. The pair are also implanted, for lack of a better word, in hosts at the same time. The kt'alini in Trip and I are such a pair." Malcolm swallowed. "This allows the host pair to communicate with each other telepathically."

"No, we can't read other people's thoughts. The only person I can hear think is Malcolm," Trip said. "If you don't believe me, talk to Sub-Commander T'Pol, she's aware of the abilities and spoke with the Il'endi elders about it." Trip reached over with his left hand and ruffled Merisel's hair, causing the child to giggle. It was a natural gesture for the outgoing engineer. "These abilities, though, kinda made Starfleet nervous. An' while Malcolm and I were willing to let Doctor Phlox run tests on us while we were still on _Enterprise_ —" Trip broke off and turned away.

"The day before we resigned we were informed that Starfleet was transferring us to San Francisco. More specifically, Starfleet Medical. They wanted to run more tests on us. They wanted to take us off _Enterprise_ , and we couldn't let them do that. Neither Trip nor I wanted to become professional lab rats. And...there was another reason why we wouldn't allow Starfleet to send us back."

Trip fingered the leather thong of the necklace he wore. "Malcolm and I are married. Under Il'endi law, we are bondmates because of the kt'alini, but we fell in love on Il'endi and got married, becoming lifemates too. We refused to give Starfleet the opportunity to separate us. That's why we resigned, since we knew Starfleet wouldn't back down. Heck, they still haven't and it's been five months." Trip sighed. "I know a lot of you are probably wondering why we didn't say anything to y'all about this, thinking that if you had known, you would have supported us. We knew that, but yet we also know that not everyone would accept our relationship. To those of you still feeling left out, we didn't even tell Captain Archer."

Malcolm leaned against Trip. "We're telling you now because after our visit to _Enterprise_ , we realized that we left a lot of friends in the dark, and we should not have done that. We also wanted to tell you so that you would hopefully understand why we didn't stay and argue with Admiral Forrest. Well, more than I did," Malcolm said with his characteristic half smile. "It's not just because we refuse to be separated, but also because of someone else."

"This is Merisel," Trip said, ruffling the girl's hair again. "Some of you may have heard about her already, from Phlox or Hoshi or Travis. She's our adopted daughter. With the Admiral throwing a fit, we couldn't stay on _Enterprise_ and take the chance that we wouldn't be able to get back here to her." Merisel stared at the monitor with a wary expression, as if she were afraid that someone would come through it and take her parents away from her. Malcolm, in a gesture that surprised Jon, leaned down and kissed the top of her head. She turned and looked up at him, smiling. Trip was smiling indulgently at both of them. If anyone hadn't believed the two men were in love before, they couldn't help but believe now, especially when Malcolm looked up at Trip, his heart practically on his sleeve.

They both turned back to the monitor. "Anyway," Malcolm continued, "we wanted our friends on _Enterprise_ to know the truth. Honestly, we don't know when or if we will return to Starfleet. We know Captain Archer is doing his best to change Starfleet's mind, but until those transfer orders are removed permanently, we're not going to chance it. There's too much at stake, now."

"We'll try to keep in touch with those who want to talk. We both miss _Enterprise_ , and our friends. Please believe me when I say our leaving had nothing to do with anyone on board ship. It was Starfleet Command." Trip sighed. "We better go before we use up too much of Phlox's message ration. We wish you all the best. Good luck exploring."

"Good luck and Godspeed," Malcolm added. Trip hit a button on the wall behind them, and the screen returned to the I.M.E. logo.

Jon turned to Phlox. "They left out the part when I acted like an ass."

"I'm sure that Mr. Tucker and Mr. Reed are aware of the crew's high esteem for you, and did not feel there was anything to be gained by accusing you of being, as you put it, an ass in front of your crew. Not to mention, they may have forgiven you for your actions."

Jon didn't reply. He just stared at the screen. "What are you going to do with this message?" he finally asked.

"That's up to you, Captain. If I am to show this to the whole crew, I'm going to need your permission to use the comm system at that time."

Jon nodded. "They're right, the crew deserves to know. I just didn't feel it was my place to reveal secrets." He sighed. "Are they happy there, doc?"

Phlox sat back, thinking. "Happy? I suppose they are, in that they are with each other, and they have Merisel. In my professional opinion, though, the separation from their friends on _Enterprise_ is wearing on them. The crew of the _Kraynita_ have been wonderful in support, but, as on Il'endi, being the only humans around can cause problems."

"Have you told this to Starfleet Medical?"

"No one at Starfleet Medical has asked for my opinion."

"Well, I am." Jon stood up. "I'll arrange for a time to have their message shown to the crew. In the meantime, I would like you to prepare a report for me on the psychological effects of the enforced separation from their own kind. I'd like to have that sort of ammunition with me the next time I go before Admiral Forrest."

* * *

Unknown to either Doctor Phlox or Captain Archer, another member of the crew was pursuing an alternate route to allow Tucker and Reed to return to _Enterprise_.

"They were the best choices for their positions on _Enterprise_ when the mission began, and they still are the best. If humanity is going to succeed among the stars, their first mission requires the best crew. It is, as I am sure you are aware, in our best interest to ensure that humanity succeeds. Humans may not be as logical as we would prefer, but there is time to work on that."

On the monitor, a Vulcan in dark brown robes sat in front of a window that looked out onto a vast desert landscape, breathtaking in its desolate beauty. He looked back at the woman on the ship. "We cannot fix their mistakes for them, Sub-Commander. They must learn by growth, as we did."

T'Pol nodded. "This is true. However, part of this mistake is our doing. Ambassador Soval believes the kt'alini are dangerous, and has encouraged Starfleet not to rescind the transfer orders, despite the resignations of Commander Tucker and Lieutenant Reed."

"Are the kt'alini dangerous?"

"The kt'alini provide the men with advanced healing ability and with a telepathic connection to each other."

"The telepathic connection would worry many people."

"Yet it is not unlike the connection a bonded couple of our race has," T'Pol pointed out. "The Commander and the Lieutenant were aboard _Enterprise_ for a month after their return from Il'endi. They remained professional at all times, on-duty and while in public off-duty. If anything, their telepathic connection was an asset, allowing for quicker communications between the bridge and engineering."

The Vulcan male nodded. "However, Sub-Commander, what you are asking is unprecedented."

"I realize that. However, we cannot let Starfleet, and the Ambassador, continue on this course of action."

"The Directorate will have to consider this request. Please send us the data your medical officer has collected, as well as your report on the matter."

T'Pol nodded. "I will do so. I would remind the Directorate of the principles of IDIC, and ask that they keep them in mind while deliberating."

"Acknowledged. Satrel out."

T'Pol shut off her monitor. She hoped the Directorate would accept her request. She had been exaggerating when she had told Captain Archer that she could grant Vulcan ranks—it had to be a dire emergency and _Enterprise_ 's condition hadn't been that critical. However, she would have done so and justified her actions later to allow the crew and the ship time to heal. Now, however, she needed to go through the Vulcan Science Directorate, and hope, as illogical as that emotion was, that they would remember that one of Surak's teachings favored Infinite Diversity in Infinite Combinations.

Allowing Tucker and Reed into the Science Directorate as officers would be as diverse as one could get.

* * *

"She looks happy."

Tucker nodded, not taking his eyes from his daughter. She was on the other side of the room, playing with another Morganian child. Merisel looked up from the game and smiled at her father before turning back to her companion.

A Morganian science vessel had hailed the _Kraynita_ the previous day. The vessel identified itself as the _Luara_ , and it asked to speak with them regarding the Morganian cargo vessel _Aronel_. Reed, who had been on the bridge helping Selika upgrade the navigation console, had given Tucker a mental heads up. The _Aronel_ had been Merisel's home until the Tenakian raider attack that had killed her parents and the rest of the crew. Merisel's mother, just before dying, had made Tucker Merisel's new father.

The captain of the _Luara_ , Girana, was standing next to Tucker. The Morganians had been understandably concerned that a child of their race had been taken in by another. They had wished to see Merisel and verify that she was being well cared for.

Tucker and Reed had decided that letting the Morganians come to the _Kraynita_ and speak with Merisel would be the prudent thing to do. They hadn't wanted to take her over to the _Luara_ , because they hadn't known what the Morganians' intentions were. Yes, their lines were in Merisel's family pouch, but neither man really understood what that meant.

It had been a surprise when Girana had brought over her son to the _Kraynita_. Now, watching Merisel with Tionel, Tucker realized that Girana was using Tionel as a gauge for how Merisel was adapting to this non-traditional family.

"Tell me, Tucker, is your mate a warrior?" Girana asked.

Tucker looked across the room at Reed, who was standing in the corner, arms folded across his chest, watching the two children play.

"He was the weapons specialist on our last ship," Tucker replied. Girana smiled.

"That would explain why he doesn't trust us, then."

"Malcolm doesn't trust easily, no."

"His lines were added to Merisel's pouch after yours."

"Malcolm wasn't with me when Merisel's mother put my lines in there, and I didn't know how to do that. Merisel put Malcolm's line in there—she wanted him as her father as well, not just her father's mate."

Girana tilted her head. "You let Merisel have possession of the family pouch."

"It was hers," Tucker said simply. "It was the only thing she really had left of her parents."

Girana started to say something, then stopped. She looked lost in thought for a moment.

//Did we do something wrong, letting Merisel have the pouch?// Reed asked.

//I'm not sure, darlin'.// "Was that wrong of us?" he asked Girana.

The Morganian captain gave a small smile. "Not wrong, but not usual among our people." She paused as Reed came over to join them. "You see, every Morganian is given a family pouch when they are born. The pouches are imbued with the lines from each parent's pouch, giving the history and ancestors of the child. The child's lines are placed in there as well." She held up one of the two pouches on her belt. "This is Tionel's pouch. I carry it because the lines in there allow me to know what mood he is in—if he is unhappy or ill or scared. It is a function of the lines—if your lines are in there and you hold the pouch, you can tell. It only works for immediate family—parents and children. Generally, children are not given their pouches to carry until their last set of rings has come in."

"So, Merisel, when she's holding the pouch, would be able to tell if I was upset?" Tucker asked. //Like when you and I were having problems?// he thought to his lifemate.

Girana nodded. "I am not sure if your species would be able to use the lines to feel Merisel's mood, but I believe she would be able to feel yours."

//So she knew when you and I were having problems, and when we reconciled.//

//Apparently. Poor girl, I had hoped she didn't notice all of it.//

//As did I.//

Girana smiled over at the children, Merisel's triumphant shout at winning the game drawing her attention. "It's not often Tionel gets beaten in strategy games," she said with approval.

"Merisel has taken well to tactics and strategy," Reed commented, a proud smile on his face.

"Unfortunately," Tucker sighed. "I had hoped my daughter would be an engineer."

"Sorry, love, but apparently you are destined to be disappointed."

"Next time we'll adopt a child with an engineering mind."

"You hope." Reed smiled to take the sting out of his words.

Girana laughed. "My mate and I have the same discussions. He blames my Airith for corrupting a perfectly good future linguist into a strategic officer."

Reed chuckled. "We strategists are insidious, always managing to bring others into our ranks."

Tucker shook his head. "I'll convert her to engineering yet."

Merisel and Tionel came over then, and both men noticed how happy Merisel was at having another child to play with. //She needs kids her own age,// Tucker thought sadly. //Being around adults all the time can't be good for her.//

//What do you mean, love?//

//Look at her,// Tucker thought, nodding to where Merisel was eating a Morganian dessert that Girana and Tionel had brought over. //She's enjoying being around her own kind, around kids her age, getting to be a kid.//

//We've never forced her to act like an adult. We've always let her act like a child.//

//Still, she needs to socialize with kids.//

Seeing that Merisel was too preoccupied with her visitors to notice what her parents were up to, Reed pulled Tucker into the hallway and put his hands on his lifemate's upper arms. Gray eyes stared into blue. //I know what you're thinking—you want to let Girana take Merisel back to her people.// Tucker nodded, then his eyes widened when Reed gave him a shake. //Tell me honestly that you could give her up that easily. That you could just walk away from her, even if it was supposedly for her own good.//

Tucker shook his head. //I can't think about that—I have to—no, we have to think about what's best for her. Is this really the best—growin' up as the only kid on a cargo ship? Hell, even if we do get back to _Enterprise_ , she'll be the only kid. Starfleet ain't exactly the most family-friendly place around, you know.//

Reed reached up to cup his lifemate's cheek. //My love, you are trying to insert logic into a system not designed to accept it.// At Tucker's surprised look, he smiled. //Who can really say what is best for her? It would have been best if her home ship had not run into Tenakian raiders, and she had grown up with her natural parents. But that didn't happen, and she was given to you, to us, to raise. Merisel is happy here, happy with us. Do you think she'd really understand why we were sending her away? All she would see is that we didn't want her anymore.// Reed placed his thumb against Tucker's lips to still the sound of protest. //No, that's not what it is, but that's what she would see. Trust me on this, love. I've been there.//

Tucker closed his eyes, and Reed could feel the mixed emotions. Sighing slightly, he opened his memories and sent them to his lifemate—memories of being sent to boarding school when he was not much older than Merisel, and not understanding why his parents didn't want him at home. How he felt awkward and out of place among the other students in the school, all of whom had grown up in England. Malcolm had grown up in various countries, depending on where the Navy had posted his father. He didn't enjoy the sports the other boys played, he didn't have the same interests, so he isolated himself and focused solely on his studies. After a while, it was no longer a defense mechanism, it was simply who he was.

//Oh, Mal. I'm so sorry.//

//I'm not saying Merisel would react the way I did, but do you want to see her face when we send her off?//

Tucker shook his head, seeing the hurt in her gray eyes all too clearly. //She's be just as out of place on Earth with my family, wouldn't she?//

Reed nodded. //They would love her for being your daughter, but other kids might not.//

"Daddy? Airith?" Merisel's voice broke into their conversation. Both men jumped, startled, before looking to see her standing by them, a worried look on her face. "Something wrong?"

Reed bent down to pick her up and settled her on his hip. "Daddy and I were just talking, love. Are you having a good time with Tionel and Girana?"

She nodded. "Tionel invited me to visit his home if we're near Morgania." She turned to look at Tucker. "I've never been there, can we go sometime?"

Tucker smiled and reached out to ruffle her hair. "I think we might be able to talk to Terisan about that, kiddo. Should we get back to your guests? As Airith would say," Tucker mimicked Reed's accent, "it isn't proper to leave one's guests alone at a party."

Merisel giggled as Reed's eyes widened, then narrowed. "C'mon then, darlin', let's mosey on back ta Tionel and Girana a'fore they come lookin' fer us," he drawled in an exaggeration of Tucker's accent.

Merisel laughed, and after a second Tucker and Reed joined in. They were still chuckling when they re-entered the room where Girana was teasing her son. The two looked up, their green eyes twinkling.

"I want a re-match, Merisel!" Tionel declared. Merisel looked at her parents, and both nodded before Reed set her down and she dashed over to the table where Tionel was waiting. Girana approached the two men.

"She was worried when you disappeared."

"We wanted to discuss something," Tucker said simply.

Girana nodded. "Did you know that the Morganian stripes change color?" she asked as she watched the children play.

Both men were startled. "Merisel's have always been blue," Reed said.

"Perhaps I should have said they change shade. It's a gradual change, reflecting emotional well-being over a period of time. A darker stripe means that the Morganian is in good emotional health overall. A lighter shade is an indication of problems." She turned to them. "I'll have my ship's doctor send over some medical information for your doctor on Morganians, so that she'll be able to better treat Merisel. If you would like," she added with a smile, "I'll have my mate transmit some games and books and educational materials we use for Tionel. Then Merisel will have the opportunity to learn her people's history."

"We'd like that." Reed smiled at the captain. "We had worried about Merisel not knowing about her people."

Girana looked at both of them. "Merisel is happy with you, Reed, Tucker. I can tell that by her stripes and by how she acts. Believe me, if Merisel had not been happy, if she had not been treated well, I would have done everything in my power to remove her from here, lines or no lines. But she is happy, and I will ensure that the rest of her family knows that."

"Thank you," Tucker replied.

//Still want to let her go with Girana?//

Tucker shook his head. //No. You're right, she'd be miserable.//

//So would you and I,// Reed thought quietly.

//Yeah. We would.//

* * *

Hoshi looked at her console in surprise, then up at her captain. "Sir, we're receiving a transmission from Earth."

"Admiral Forrest?"

The Asian woman shook her head. "No, sir. It's from a Dr. C. Tucker at the University of Florida."

Jon sighed. Just what he needed. On the bright side, at least it wasn't one of Malcolm's relatives calling. "Put it through, Hoshi," he told her, straightening in his command chair. He had an idea of what was coming and hoped that he could reduce the impact of the coming lecture by taking the call on the bridge—reinforcing his position as captain of a Starfleet vessel.

The screen changed and Jon could tell his crew was surprised by the appearance of a woman in a navy suit and glasses, her blonde hair liberally streaked with gray. It was, as usual, pulled up into a topknot on her head. Her hazel eyes were focused on the screen, staring at Jon. The rest of the crew had obviously been expecting Trip's father. If asked, Jon would have preferred facing Charles Tucker II, Attorney at Law, than Dr. Cassandra Tucker, psychiatrist and professor.

"Dr. Tucker, how can I help you?"

"You can start by telling me why the hell my son resigned from Starfleet after twelve years to work on a cargo vessel, and why you didn't stop him."

Jon sighed. "It's a long story, ma'am."

"Don't 'ma'am' me, Jonathan Archer. I've already been in touch with Admiral Forrest regarding my son's resignation. It took some doing, but he finally told me about my son being joined, or whatever, with this kt'alini life form." She waved a hand in the air, dismissing the kt'alini as unimportant. "And about Starfleet Medical wanting my son and Lieutenant Reed back on Earth for testing. Now again, I want to know why you didn't stop Trip and fight to keep him on board your ship."

"I didn't know he was resigning until he had already left _Enterprise_ , and as for fighting, I'm trying."

Cassandra Tucker stared at Jon. "You're trying. Now, AFTER my son has given up the career that he's wanted ever since my mother gave him his first tool kit and a book on Zefram Cochrane's Warp Ship! Tell me, Jonathan, how would you feel if Starfleet had forced you to give up your dream and Trip didn't fight for you? Trip would go to hell and back for his friends, Jon, I've seen him do it. Is it too much to ask for one of his best friends to do the same for him?"

"I'm sorry, Cassandra."

"Sorry isn't getting my son back from whatever exile Starfleet has driven him to," Dr. Tucker said, drumming her fingers on her desk.

"If it helps, he's not alone. Lieutenant Reed is with him."

"Oh, so there are two of them you didn't fight for, then? Two former Starfleet officers cut off from friends and family? I haven't heard from my son since he resigned, you know. I can only imagine what Lieutenant Reed's family is going through, but ours is going through the roof."

Jon didn't say anything. Cassandra sighed. "Admiral Forrest said Trip has been back on _Enterprise_ at least once. How is he?"

"He seems fine. He and Malcolm, are, well, they've been adopted by a child they rescued." He wasn't sure it was his place to tell Cassandra about Trip's marriage. It probably wasn't his place to tell her about their daughter, either, but Cassandra deserved to know that Trip was happy.

Cassandra smiled broadly. "I always knew Trip would end up with at least one kid in tow, sometime. Boy or girl?"

"Girl, a Morganian child named Merisel."

"Morganian?"

"They're a space-faring race their cargo ship encountered. I haven't seen her myself," Jon lied. The message from Trip and Malcolm to the crew had been shown several days before, but he didn't want to hurt Cassandra's feelings by implying that she wasn't as important to her son as his former crewmates were. "But I did get to hear them talking to her while they were on board _Enterprise_. She sounds very taken with her new parents, and they obviously adore her."

Cassandra shook her head. "I have an alien grandchild." She shrugged. "There are worse things that could happen with a son in Starfleet. If you talk to him again, tell him I want pictures and a detailed message, got that? And get him back into Starfleet, Jon! Him and Lieutenant Reed—I'm not taking no for an answer on this."

"Actually, Dr. Tucker, I was wondering if you would be able to assist me with something I'm working on to convince Starfleet."

"What do you need?" She was all business, pulling a padd toward her, fingers hovering over the input keys. Jon figured that she would move Heaven and Earth and Vulcan if need be to get her son back. Fortunately, he didn't require that effort of her.

"Our doctor is preparing a psychological workup for me on the effects of isolation on Trip and Malcolm from their own kind—especially given their previous isolation on Il'endi. He could use some help on analogies to humans on Earth being isolated from their own ethnic or religious groups."

Cassandra was nodding. "I can get that for him."

"We're going to use it to convince Starfleet that they're doing more harm than good by forcing Trip and Malcolm to stay away."

"Thank you, Jon."

"I'm still sorry, Cassandra."

"I know," she replied with a smile. "Goodbye Jonathan, everyone." She cut the transmission at her end.

Jon got up from his command chair. "I'll be in Sickbay."

When he was gone, Hoshi looked at Travis and Ensign Meyer. "Well, now we know where the Commander gets his temperament from."

The others nodded.

* * *

Morgania wasn't too far off their route, and Terisan was always happy to find new places to trade with. So the _Kraynita_ was now in orbit around the green planet, and Trip, Malcolm, and Merisel were welcomed into Merisel's family home. Her family all had blue stripes and either blonde or light brown hair, but there were other combinations on the planet. One family had green hair and pink stripes. Apparently, the less human-looking color combinations had appeared after Morgania's last civil war four centuries ago—a legacy of some of the biological weapons used. The mutations had become accepted as new families over the years.

Their hosts, Kagira and Terion, had been concerned that Trip and Malcolm didn't want Merisel, until the lifemates had managed to reassure them that their intentions were for Merisel to know her family and her culture, but they were not giving her up. Their attitude had puzzled Malcolm—they had been concerned even before they had seen Merisel. Once he had gotten to their house, though, he saw why. Kagira and Terion had taken in a lot of orphaned children from cargo ships hit by Tenakian raiders. Some of them were from other families that had refused to take in their own kin. Even with government subsidies, it was a lot for the couple to handle. While Merisel was their kin, the couple didn't have the energy to take on another active child.

Kagira had explained that some families didn't believe in space travel, and ostracized those family members who chose that life. Children born on space ships were not considered part of the families, despite their genetics. Therefore, another family would have to take them if in the children had to return to Morgania because their parents had been killed or for any other reason. Other children were the last of their families, disease or raiders killing all those who could have raised them. The reasons why these children weren't being raised by kin were various. The government, however, believed that all children needed to be raised in a family environment, not an institution. Therefore, couples such as Kagira and Terion who opened their home to these children were given a subsidy per child to help them care for them. To the Ministry of Child Welfare, it was better than building and maintaining orphanages.

As Malcolm sat on a bench in the park, watching Merisel play with her cousins and the other children, he thought the government had the right idea. It was good for the children to have friends and playmates and caring adults in the home. This was something he had missed while growing up—getting to be a child. He envied Trip his loving family. Malcolm was also determined to ensure that Merisel never had the kind of childhood he had.

A shout from the playing field caught his attention. A dark haired child was shooed away from the game by one of the older children. The child looked to be around Merisel's age—so why wasn't he allowed to play?

Malcolm watched as the game resumed, though Merisel kept frowning in the rejected child's direction, especially after one of her cousins whispered something to her. When the game finally broke up, she ran to Malcolm as the rest of the children gathered up the equipment for the walk home. She gave him a hug. "Love you, Airith."

"Love you too, Merisel," he said, a little startled.

"Hesina told me that not all the orphaned kids from the cargo ships get adopted," Merisel told him as they started to walk back. "Like Chancel—Hesina says he won't be adopted because he's sick."

"Sick?"

Merisel nodded. "He doesn't have his stripe or any rings—Hesina says it's cause he's sick, and no one wants to take in a sick orphan—might affect others along the lines."

Malcolm looked over at Chancel. "Poor child."

Merisel nodded as she they approached home. "Yeah." She smiled at Malcolm before taking off to catch up with Hesina.

Malcolm watched Chancel, and continued to watch him throughout the evening. Trip had gone back to the _Kraynita_ for the night to do some upgrades to the engines while they were in orbit, and Malcolm had volunteered to stay with Merisel so she wouldn't be alone on the planet. It wasn't that he didn't trust Kagira and Terion, but more that he was worried about how Merisel would take being alone.

After tucking her into her bed and kissing her goodnight, Malcolm wandered around the large home, thinking. He eventually ended up in the garden at the back, watching the twin moons chase each other across the sky. He wished that Trip were here with him, or at least close enough to think at. While there was still enough of a presence along the bond to know Trip was alive, the kt'alini telepathy range apparently didn't reach from planet to orbiting ship.

A soft noise made him start, and he turned to find the sound. Chancel was in the garden, working on something. Malcolm approached him. "Hello, Chancel." The young boy started, looking up at Malcolm with wide light blue eyes. Malcolm could see that Merisel had been right—Chancel was missing the stripe down his face. "What are you working on?" Malcolm kept his tone light, seeing how apprehensive the child looked. Malcolm looked back down at the object in Chancel's hands. "Is that a tashier?" Tashiers were remote-controlled flying toys that were popular among Morganian children.

Chancel looked away, a flash of guilt in his eyes. "It's broken. Erian threw it away." The words were said defensively.

"Are you going to fix it?"

"No, 'cause then Erian will take it back."

Malcolm frowned. "But he didn't want it because it was broken. If you fix it, it should be yours."

Chancel looked at Malcolm, frowning. "I don't have stripes, I don't deserve toys." The sentence had the ring of something that the child had often been told.

Malcolm was stunned, wondering why in the world this child would believe that. Every child deserved to be a child, to have toys and to play without adult concerns.

A voice inside called for Chancel, who set the tashier on the ground and got up. "Goodnight," he said.

"Goodnight, Chancel," Malcolm replied. He frowned as he watched the child go back to the house; his shoulders slumped in a defeated attitude. It was disturbing for Malcolm to see shades of his own childhood here on Morgania.

Malcolm picked up the tashier. It was too broken to fix, at least for him. Trip wasn't due back on the planet until the day after tomorrow. Malcolm didn't want Chancel to wait that long for a toy.

* * *

"Good grief," Malcolm murmured. "I didn't know there could be so many choices for a simple toy."

Next to him, Merisel giggled. "How about this one?" She pointed to a black one with green detailing. Malcolm looked down at it, noting it wasn't the most expensive tashier in the store. He didn't want to buy one for Chancel that would cause problems among the other children—and getting him the top-of-the-line model would guarantee trouble.

Malcolm had decided last night that Chancel deserved a new toy—one that hadn't been handed down. Kagira and Terion apparently shared the children's prejudices against Chancel, or they simply didn't have time for the child. Malcolm had watched at breakfast that morning, and seen how Chancel had been treated by the other children in the house. He had been the last served, and often ignored when he asked for more. One child had even taken food off Chancel's plate. Malcolm and Merisel had been appalled by the behavior, both making sure that he was handed the dishes he asked for.

Now, Merisel and Malcolm were in a toy store, trying to decide on a toy for Chancel. Malcolm picked up the tashier Merisel had pointed out. "It's nice." He set it down, and looked over the shelves again. "What about this one?" He picked up one that was silver with black detailing. The color scheme reminded him a bit of _Enterprise_.

Merisel took it from his hands and looked at it seriously. "I like it. I think Chancel will too." Malcolm had told his daughter that morning about meeting Chancel in the garden. Merisel thought that buying him his own tashier was a good idea.

Malcolm smiled at her. "Good. I like this too." He tucked it under his arm. "Now, what would you like?"

"Huh?" Merisel looked at him, confused.

"Well, we are in a toy store. And you have been eyeing Hesina's Citrenia doll."

Merisel blushed. Malcolm smiled and pointed to the shelf of dolls. "So, would you like one with blue stripes or gray ones?"

* * *

Malcolm waited in the garden again, hoping Chancel would come out to play with the broken tashier before bedtime. His patience was rewarded, and Malcolm smiled.

"Hello, Chancel."

The boy looked up from the toy. "Hello."

Malcolm sat down next to him. "How are you this evening?"

"Fine."

Malcolm had to restrain a smile as he imagined what his lifemate would have said had he heard Chancel's answer. _"Geez, Malcolm, the kid's got your answers to health questions down pat."_

"I brought you something," Malcolm said, holding out the bag from the toy store that he and Merisel had been to earlier that day. "Go on, take it," he urged gently when Chancel hesitated.

Chancel took the bag and peered inside. He looked back up at Malcolm. "This is a new tashier."

Malcolm nodded. "It's for you. It even has your name on it." Malcolm had asked the clerks at the toy store to personalize the tashier, wanting to make sure that none of the other children could try to claim the toy as theirs.

Chancel reached into the bag and pulled out the toy. He held it up, examining it carefully. The silver color reflected the light of the moons. Chancel ran a finger over the black lettering that spelled his name in Morganian script. He looked at Malcolm, his blue eyes wide. "Mine?" he asked softly, disbelievingly.

Malcolm wondered if anyone had given Chancel a new toy since his parents had died. "Yours," Malcolm replied with a smile. "Shall we try it out?"

Chancel nodded shyly, reaching into the bag to pull out the remote. Malcolm held the toy while Chancel got himself comfortable on the ground. He activated the remote and the tashier rose into the air, out of Malcolm's hands. Adult and child smiled in delight as the tashier, at Chancel's command, wove in and out of the trees and around the perimeter of the garden.

Chancel expertly manipulated the controls with the confidence of a born pilot, sending the tashier into intricate loops and laps around the garden. After a while he held the controls out to Malcolm. "Would you like to try?"

"I'd love to." Malcolm took the controls, trying to emulate Chancel's skill. The tashier lurched drunkenly back toward the pair. Chancel giggled as Malcolm frowned, trying to get it to fly straight. However, his eyes were twinkling at Chancel's laughter. He knew he could fly the tashier better than it looked, but Malcolm wasn't above giving the child a laugh and letting him feel like he knew something an adult didn't. It would build up Chancel's confidence, which Malcolm felt had been sadly destroyed by his treatment since his parents died.

Chancel climbed into Malcolm's lap. "Here, let me show you," he said, putting his hands on Malcolm's. The tashier straightened as Chancel guided it.

"Perhaps I had better stick to flying shuttlepods and the occasional spaceship," Malcolm said with an exaggerated sigh as he released control of the toy to Chancel.

"You fly ships?"

"Sometimes. Right now I work as an engineer on a cargo ship. I used to be a weapons officer on a ship called _Enterprise_. The colors of your tashier remind me of _Enterprise_ ," he said softly.

"I was born on a ship," Chancel said. "My Airith was the engineer, and my Tyrith was the pilot." He stayed silent for a moment, watching the tashier fly. "They died not long after I lost my stripes. They didn't care that I didn't have stripes."

"They loved you," Malcolm reassured him.

"Tyrith told me that. She said that stripes weren't necessary to make a family. But then the raiders attacked our ship. Another ship came to our rescue, but they couldn't save my parents. So they brought me back here." Chancel was trying to sound grown up and indifferent about the matter, but Malcolm could hear the grief that still lingered.

Malcolm put his arms around Chancel and hugged him. "I'm sorry, Chancel."

Chancel didn't respond, but he didn't fight the hug. Eventually, he went back to flying the tashier, which had gently drifted to the ground while they had been talking. Malcolm let the child play in silence, realizing that his grief was still tender.

It was probably a half hour later when Kagira's voice, calling for Chancel, disturbed their comfortable silence. Malcolm removed his arms from Chancel, who stood up reluctantly. He put the tashier and its remote back into the bag. He looked at Malcolm shyly. "Thank you," he said.

"You're welcome," Malcolm said with a smile. He was about to get up when he found himself in a hard hug from Chancel. He returned it, surprised. When Chancel pulled away, he looked Malcolm with serious blue eyes.

"Merisel is very lucky," he said softly. "I wish..." . He grabbed the toy bag as Kagira called for him again. "Thank you," he said quickly before running off.

Malcolm sat in the garden, surprised by the hug and the soft words. He had a feeling that Chancel wished he had been as lucky as Merisel had been when the _Kraynita_ rescued her.

Chancel reminded him so much of himself at that age—alone in a world that didn't understand him, forced to turn inward for entertainment and companionship. Chancel had been truly surprised that a relative stranger like Malcolm would think to buy him a toy, but he had enjoyed the companionship they'd had in the garden. Malcolm had enjoyed it too. Sitting with Chancel had felt as natural as it did when he would sit with Merisel in her cargo bay playroom. Malcolm had almost resented Kagira's intrusion, until he had remembered that she was Chancel's guardian. Malcolm would have let Chancel stay up as late as he could have to play with the toy, much as he had with Merisel and her new doll. Unfortunately, Malcolm didn't have the right to decide when Chancel went to bed.

Eventually, Malcolm got up and returned to the house. Inside his room, he pulled out his communicator and called the _Kraynita_.

"Hey, Reed." Wessic's cheerful voice came through the com. He was obviously on night watch. "Shall I get Tucker for you?"

"Please, Wessic," Malcolm replied, smiling. He heard the soft clicks that indicated he was being transferred.

"Malcolm! How's Merisel?"

"Asleep with her new doll."

"Uh-oh, you bought her a new toy?"

"Well, you're not here, so someone has to spoil her," Malcolm said wryly.

Trip laughed, a sound Malcolm realized he missed whenever he was separated from his mate. "Okay, I'll give you that." His voice dropped. "I miss you, Mal, darlin'."

"I miss you too, Trip. When are you coming back to the surface?"

"Tomorrow morning. The engines are fixed and Terisan's taking a load of goods down. I'm going to help him unload and then catch a transport over to the house."

Malcolm smiled. "Good."

"We've got messages from _Enterprise_. Seems my mother called the ship and chewed out the Cap'n on the bridge. Hoshi, Travis, T'Pol, Alan, and the Cap'n have all informed me that Mom wants a detailed letter and pictures of Merisel. Seems the Cap'n had to tell her about Merisel to reassure her that I was happy and okay."

"I think we can send her some pictures," Malcolm said with a smile. "I'm just glad it wasn't my parents calling, not that they would."

"Do they know you resigned?"

"No." Malcolm sighed. "My father thought I was letting the family down by joining Starfleet. However, he'd be appalled to find that a Reed had resigned his commission, even if it was in a lesser service than the Royal Navy. I doubt he would understand why—orders are orders and all that. My mother is a Navy wife and the daughter of a Navy officer, so she would be just as appalled." He paused. "I did send Madeline a message, telling her that I was no longer on _Enterprise_ , for reasons I couldn't get into at that time."

"That's about what I told my parents. According to Hoshi, my mom's been talking to Admiral Forrest, so she knows most of the story." Trip hesitated. "I want to tell her about us, Malcolm. I didn't before because I wanted to do it with you. I know she won't care, so long as I'm happy, but I didn't want to make that decision on my own."

Malcolm smiled, thought he knew Trip couldn't see it. "Well, we've told _Enterprise_ , and the reaction was mostly positive, according to Hoshi and Travis and the letters we've gotten. Your family should know, too. I just...I just don't think I'm ready to tell mine yet."

"Whenever you're ready, darlin'."

"I love you, Charles Tucker III."

"I love you, Malcolm Reed. I'll see you tomorrow."

"See you tomorrow. Reed out." Malcolm closed the communicator and put it away, lying down on the bed and curling up. He would tell Trip about Chancel tomorrow. He wanted Trip to meet Chancel. He had a feeling they would get along well. For some reason, that was important to Malcolm, even though they were leaving Morgania at the end of the week. Chancel would probably be a grown-up before they returned.

* * *

"Hi."

"Hello."

Merisel sat down next to Chancel in the garden. "Shouldn't you be at school?" she asked.

Chancel shrugged. "I use the Educator Unit in the house."

Merisel frowned. "Don't they let you go to school with the other kids?"

Chancel shook his head. He kept his eyes on the tashier. Merisel watched him fly it.

"You're good at that," she said. "Hesina let me try hers, but I couldn't get it to do a complete circle."

"It's not that hard."

Merisel smiled. "Not to you. Airith told Daddy you were a born pilot."

Chancel turned to her. "He said that?"

Merisel blinked. Chancel sounded almost wistful, like he wanted to believe that someone would talk about him in a nice way. "He said that. Airith would know—he flies the pods and sometimes the ship when Selika's busy."

Chancel's eyes lit up. "My Tyrith was a pilot. She would let me fly the ship sometimes."

Merisel looked at Chancel steadily. "The Tenakians took my Airith and Tyrith. Did they take yours?"

The other child nodded. "But you have a new Airith and a Daddy. No one wants me."

"Because you don't have stripes?"

Chancel used the remote to set the tashier down. "I went to school once, when I first came to live here. The educator wouldn't look at me. If I went for a walk outside the grounds, people would cross the street and pull their kids away from me." Chancel got up, wrapping his arms around himself. "Kagira got the Educator Unit installed so I didn't have to go to school, and I don't leave the grounds often. The other kids don't want to get near me; they think I'll make them lose their stripes." He looked at Merisel. "You're the first Morganian that's treated me like one since my parents were killed."

Merisel didn't know what to say to that. Finally, she said, "You must be lonely."

Chancel shrugged that off. "I have the Educator Unit and a few toys and some books. I don't need the other kids." His sad eyes belied his statement. He leaned down and picked up the tashier. "They'll be home soon, I need to put this away." He walked off without a backward glance. But Merisel had seen his expression—longing mixed with fear. Longing to be part of something, to be treated like the others? She didn't know, but she had a feeling she knew what the fear was—fear of the other kids.

Merisel got up and went back inside to find Airith and Daddy talking to Kagira, Terion, and Captain Terisan. She climbed into Daddy's lap and he put an arm around her, smiling at her. Airith and Captain Terisan smiled at her as well.

Merisel had sometimes wondered if a Morganian ship should have rescued her. Now, she was glad they hadn't.

* * *

Merisel was reading under her covers, Airith and Daddy having tucked her in hours before, when she heard a noise. She pushed the covers back and listened. It sounded like someone was crying. Curious, she got out of bed and walked over to the window. She was on the second floor, with a view of the garden at the back. The moons cast enough light for her to see the figure crouched in the garden, shaking with sobs.

Merisel slipped out of her room and down the stairs. She grabbed a jacket from the hooks in the back hall and opened the door to the garden. She approached the figure carefully, not wanting to startle the person. She must have made some noise, because the person looked up. Merisel recognized Chancel.

"Are you okay?" she asked.

Chancel scrambled to his feet. "Sorry to have woken you, Merisel. I won't do it again." He took off back to the house. Merisel frowned after him. She looked down at where Chancel had been sitting and saw a tashier lying in pieces on the ground. Sitting down, she picked up one of the pieces, recognizing the tashier as the one she and Airith had bought for him.

Merisel turned the piece over in her hands. Hesina had told her that Chancel had been sick and that's why he didn't have his stripes. Therefore, they needed to avoid Chancel because they might get sick and lose their stripes. People without stripes were bad, Hesina had said. When Merisel had pointed out that her Daddy and Airith didn't have stripes, Hesina had said "They're not Morganian," as if that explained it. But Chancel was nice—nicer than Hesina and Erian sometimes.

Gathering up the pieces of the tashier, Merisel returned to the house. She wasn't sure if she liked her home world at the moment. She wanted to go home to the _Kraynita_ , to the cargo bay playroom and the engines. She wanted to help Waslia make lunch and have Gerandik teach her languages on the bridge. But first, she wanted to take the toy to Daddy. Maybe he could fix it for Chancel.

* * *

Trip and Malcolm were still awake, sitting on the bed and reviewing the messages they'd received from their friends on _Enterprise_ , when Merisel tapped on their door. "Daddy? Airith?"

Trip looked up. //I thought we put her to bed?//

Malcolm got off the bed and walked to the door. //Nightmare, maybe?// He opened the door. "Meri? What's wrong?"

She held up the broken tashier. "I found Chancel crying in the garden. His tashier was broken. I thought maybe Daddy could fix it."

Trip got off the bed. Malcolm had told him about the outcast Morganian child and the toy he had given to him in the garden. "I'll take a look at it, hon."

She entered and set the pieces on the bed. Malcolm stiffened, seeing the destruction. //This was not an accident,// he declared, sitting down on the bed again. //Someone deliberately destroyed it.// He was saddened, not understanding why someone would want to take away a child's only toy.

Trip nodded as he opened his tool case, something he never seemed to be without. //I agree. Think someone didn't like Chancel having a toy?// "Meri, what did Chancel say when you found him?"

Meri climbed into Malcolm's lap. "He apologized for waking me up, and then left." She twisted in Malcolm's arms. "Airith, is Chancel bad because he doesn't have stripes?"

"Who told you that?" Trip asked, startled.

"Hesina. She said he was sick, and that's why he doesn't have stripes, and therefore he's a bad person."

Malcolm looked down at Merisel. "What do you think?"

"No one else on the _Kraynita_ has stripes, and they're good, so people without stripes can be good."

Trip looked up at Malcolm, smiling. //Maybe raising her on a ship is a good thing, if she doesn't the prejudices other kids have.//

Malcolm smiled back. //I agree.// "No, Merisel, Chancel isn't bad. You're right, people without stripes can be good, like Terisan and Waslia and the others."

"And you and Daddy," Merisel added.

"Us too," Malcolm replied. Merisel smiled and turned to watch Trip work.

Malcolm let Trip work in silence. Merisel eventually dozed off in his arms. //Did you talk to Kerth about the illness Merisel had mentioned?//

Trip nodded as he soldered wires together. Malcolm told Trip about the illness the first night Trip was back on the _Kraynita_. He had been worried they were exposing Merisel to something potentially serious. //Kerth said it's an illness that only affects Morganians who have received a recessive gene from both parents, and then have been exposed to a native herb that's used to treat the Morganian version of our measles. She said that while science had figured it out and most kids with the gene are given a synthetic treatment, some parents either don't realize they passed on the gene or don't have the synthetic on their cargo ship. She also mentioned there is a lot of social stigma attached to not having stripes, people still believing that they can lose their stripes from contact with children like Chancel.//

//Considering how important lines are for determining what family you belong to and how your mood is, I can understand the stigma, but still, he's a child!//

//Different culture, Mal, darlin'. It's happened on Earth before. Heck, there are still some prejudices against boomer kids—just ask Travis.//

//I know, I know. After that lecture I gave to Admiral Forrest I shouldn't be trying to impose my beliefs on the Morganians.//

//True.// Trip looked at the component in his hand. //I guess, to a Morganian, lookin' at Chancel is like us seeing a human without eyes or T'Pol looking at a Vulcan without pointed ears—a fundamental identifying characteristic of the species is missing. They use the stripes to determine family and mood. Looking at Chancel, they don't know whose family he belongs to, and they can't judge his mood at all. They've had so many centuries of lines to hardwire that identifier into their social system that they can't make an exception for one child, darlin'.//

Malcolm raised an eyebrow at his lifemate in amusement. //Given this a lot of thought?//

Trip looked embarrassed. //Some. I was a Psych minor in college, you know. Thought it might come in handy in Starfleet, dealing with alien races an' all.//

//So, once Chancel's parents were killed, the deck was stacked against him, so to speak. There went his chance at having a loving family who accepted him as he was.//

//Yeah,// Trip acknowledged sadly. //Kerth mentioned that Merisel does not have the recessive gene, by the way.//

Malcolm looked down at their sleeping daughter. //Good to know. I would hate to think we unknowingly could have put her in danger.//

//Same here.//

//I just hate seeing a child like Chancel being such an outcast for something he couldn't control.//

//Kinda like us?//

Malcolm looked up at Trip. //Yes, I suppose Chancel's situation is rather like our own.//

Trip smiled as he put the power pack into the tashier. //I think I've got it.// He picked up the remote and pressed a few buttons. The tashier rose into the air. Trip smiled and played with the controls, sending it around the room. He laughed out loud, like a child at Christmas playing with a new toy.

//Should I get you one before we leave?// Malcolm asked with amusement.

//We could race them around the cargo bay.//

Malcolm moved, sliding Merisel onto the bed so she was resting on the pillows. He grabbed the blanket from the edge of the bed and covered her with it. //I think I should take the tashier back to Chancel.//

Trip set the tashier down on the bed. //Want company?//

Malcolm hesitated. //I think I'd like to go alone. He seems to be wary of strangers.//

//Good point. Plus, someone needs to stay with Meri.//

Malcolm crossed the room and kissed his lifemate. //I love you.//

Trip raised his eyebrows, surprised at this out-of-nowhere declaration. //I love you too, darlin',// he replied. He hugged Malcolm tightly before letting him go. //Don't take too long, I've missed being your pillow these past two nights.//

//I won't,// Malcolm replied. //I've missed my pillow too.// He picked up the toy, kissed Trip again, and left the room. He'd found out where Chancel's room was located earlier that day and made his way there now. He tapped on the door lightly, loathe to wake the boy if he was asleep.

The door opened and Chancel stood partially hidden behind the wood. "How can I help you, Reed-carith?" he asked, giving Malcolm the Morganian honorific for an adult male. It was a change from his informal manner in the garden the previous night.

"I wanted to return this to you, Chancel." Malcolm held out the tashier. "It has been fixed."

Chancel's blue eyes fastened on the toy hungrily, but he did not reach out for it. "It will just get broken again," he said sadly. "I don't deserve toys," he repeated.

"Is there no one who will give you their lines?" Malcolm asked, then kicked himself for his lack of tact.

Chancel looked at him, startled by the question, then shook his head. "I was sick and lost my stripes. No one wants a child without stripes." He looked down. "I might cause others to lose their stripes."

Malcolm reached out with his free hand and stroked Chancel's hair. "I could give you my lines," he said, surprising both of them. Malcolm realized that this was something he wanted to do. He already knew he had a bond with the child, but he wanted to have the right to act on that bond—to be Chancel's father.

Chancel looked up, an unreadable expression in his eyes. "I might harm Merisel."

Malcolm shook his head. "I don't believe you will. But the choice is yours. If you will have me, I would be honored to give you my lines."

"Would I live with you on your ship?"

Malcolm nodded. Chancel looked away. "What will Tucker-carith and Merisel think?"

"I think they will welcome you as part of our family." Malcolm saw the longing that appeared in the boy's eyes. He wondered how long it had been since Chancel had been part of a family. A long time, judging from the way that Chancel was hesitating, almost afraid to take what was being offered. Malcolm stayed silent, letting Chancel make his decision. He made no movement, nothing that could be taken as a retraction of his offer. He just looked at Chancel, trying to let the boy know that he was wanted as a son.

Chancel looked up again. "Lines cannot be undone."

"I know."

Chancel gave Malcolm a shy smile. "Can I call you 'Airith'?"

Malcolm smiled back. "I would love it if you did."

Chancel held up his family pouch. "Can we do this now?"

Malcolm held out his hand. "Of course."

Chancel took Malcolm's hand and closed his eyes. Malcolm marveled at the way all Morganians seemed to know how the lines worked and how to add them to pouches. Chancel's pouch glowed blue before it faded and the child smiled at Malcolm. Malcolm smiled back.

//You went and did it, huh? I knew you weren't gonna leave here without doing something about that kid.// Trip sounded almost amused. //After the hard time you gave me about Merisel, you go and adopt another kid.//

//Feel free to give me a hard time about Chancel, but I couldn't have left him here any more than you could have left Merisel.//

//I know, darlin'. I'm just gonna be reminding you of this for a long time.//

//I look forward to it.//

"Shall we go tell your Maeleth and Merisel?" Malcolm asked Chancel, still holding his hand. Chancel smiled and nodded at his new father.

* * *

Trip looked down at Merisel. He wondered what she would think about having a sibling. She had been an only child for so long that she might not want to share her parents with another person. But lines, as Trip well knew, could not easily be undone. Chancel was Malcolm's son under Morganian law now, just as Merisel was his daughter.

"Daddy? What's wrong?"

Merisel had woken up during his contemplation of the addition to their family. "Nothing's wrong, hon. I was just thinking about Chancel. Airith doesn't like the way he's being treated."

"I don't either." She looked at Trip. "Can Airith do something about that?" she asked hopefully.

"Well," Trip said, choosing his words, "Airith can do what I did for you, let his lines be put into Chancel's family pouch."

Merisel frowned. "That would make him Chancel's Airith."

Trip nodded. "Chancel would come to live with us on the _Kraynita_."

"What about the sickness Hesina told me about?"

"We've already talked to Kerth about that, and she said it's not something you could get at all."

"Would you be his Daddy?" Merisel's question was quiet, as if she were afraid of the answer.

"Only if he asked me, like you asked Airith." He leaned forward and kissed Merisel's forehead. "Airith would still love you, Meri. You are still his daughter, and mine. Lines cannot be undone. It's even harder to stop loving someone."

Merisel was silent, thinking about this. Trip let her think. Finally Merisel sighed. "He needs to find his own cargo bay to play in."

Trip smiled. "I think we can arrange that."

There was a warning tap at the door before it opened to reveal Malcolm and Chancel. Merisel looked up and smiled at Chancel. "Are you my serith now?" she asked, using the Morganian word for sibling. Morganians didn't have separate words for brother and sister. Garandik had told them that serith, accurately translated, referred to someone with the same parental lines in their pouch. Genetics didn't always dictate if another Morganian was your serith or not.

Chancel nodded shyly, sticking close to Malcolm. Malcolm smiled down at his son—his son!—before nodding. "I know you know Merisel, but this is my lifemate, Tucker."

Trip smiled at the boy. "I guess that makes me your Maeleth, huh?"

Chancel nodded. Merisel looked from her Airith to her Daddy and back. "I think Chancel and I need to stay here tonight," she declared.

//Anything to get out of staying in her own bed, huh?//

//Or she's trying to show Chancel that he's really welcome here.// Malcolm picked Chancel up and set him on the bed. "That's fine with me. Trip?"

"Not a problem with me, either." He looked at his lifemate's new child. "Chancel?"

Chancel smiled at his new family. "Fine with me," he said softly.


End file.
